Reclaim Your Time.

Why is time with God in the morning so overlooked? I am just as guilty as the next when it comes to this but over the past year, my alone time with God has absolutely evolved and I love where I am and where God is taking us. 

Let me tell you in this moment, that once you make time for God...He will absolutely reclaim your time.

Psalm 143:8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

Lush's 'Cupcake' Face Mask: HIT or MISS?

Worth the hype? Read on to find out.

A Little Reminder

 
     It's more than okay to be confident. The only reason people would ever be against you being confident in yourself is because they know how greatly even a little bit of confidence impacts your entire life. It takes you from discouraged to courage and scared to bold. Looking in the mirror and telling yourself that you are stunning, treasured and brilliant can completely change the course of your day. Confidence changes your life.

     Now, I'm not talking about worldly confidence. I put my full support into Godly confidence. It's unconditional. Worldly confidence has set standards such as size, class rank and status. God's confidence is what makes you confident when by worldly standards, you might have 'nothing' going on for you at all. Thats the greatest thing about Godly confidence- you can't lose it and it has no box to withhold it. Godly confidence tells you that you are confided in, immensely loved, cannot fail, extremely talented, capable of anything and kept by a loving Savior.

      Walking in God's truth everyday, transforms your life from the inside out. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with being confident in the way you look or what your status is- BUT I am saying that it is so dangerous to put all of your confidence in that and let it define you. Let God define you, you can't go wrong. Confidence is incredible. So with all of that being said, it's okay to walk in confidence and be sure of yourself. Don't ever dim your shine. Be self assured. There are so many wonderful things that you are, be them.

stay blessed,

rebecca.

Why am I a Christian?

"Why are you a Christian?" Man, there are so many reasons to be wildly in love with Jesus Christ. So many. God is pure good. Not the kind of 'good' that us humans throw around all the time to describe the simpler things in life, but a complex and extensive goodness that only the Creator of the universe could withhold. That is the basis of why I am a Christian, but I know for most, that answer might be vague so I'm going to dive right into why I am completely, recklessly and fearlessly in love with a Man from Galilee.

The Balancing Act: Jesus + Beauty/Fashion

Romans 2:12---> "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

     In a world full of Instagram models, television stars and a society constantly telling us how to look and be, it can be so hard to keep our eyes completely on Jesus. However, God never said that all of His children shouldn't look good, or dress well- it's all about always putting Him first, above the newest trend.

be still: the battle is not yours. a bible study in 2 Chronicles 20

We have all had times where we've been in the wrong and we knew that we 'had it coming'. But what about the times where we are blameless, totally free of culpability? 

     Well, you'll be happy to know that God is never out to get you. He only wishes for us to just.be.still. In this Bible study, you're going to read about soon to be king Jehoshaphat, a man of God who found himself in a situation where some tribes came to fight him, but he chose to seek God. 

Get it all together in one day: Your ultimate guide to getting it together in 5 easy steps

     We all have those times. Things were going really well, all of our lives were together and we felt totally unstoppable. However, a little laziness settled in, we let our guard down, and gradually, little things in our lives fall apart and suddenly we feel like things have spun out of control. Well, those moments are something to be grateful for. Those times propel us to get.our.stuff.together. This is your ultimate guide to getting your life back on track- in one day. 

     Pick your day. Is it a Monday? Maybe a productive Saturday? Maybe even today. Now that you have chosen your day we can get to work.

Grab a cup of whatever gets you going, eat well, throw your hair in a bun, and do the work. 

I recommend starting your 'get it together day' early in the morning. You're alert, and it gives you a head start to the day ahead of you.  Whether you grabbed a green juice, made coffee, or made tea, you finally have your power up to jumpstart your day. To accompany your beverage of choice- if you eat breakfast (the most important meal of the day- no pressure), make some! My favorite power combo is almond milk, coffee, and agave. Then I make some oatmeal with cinnamon, honey and raisins. Whatever you make, eat well, because we have a long day ahead of us!

Make a list of things you want to change.

You absolutely have to have a game plan. An unorganized day, without a plan, hardly is an extremely successful one. Sit down, make a list of things that went awry and come up with tactics to tackle them.

Depending on your energy, do your hardest or easiest tasks first.

Coffee didn't hit you right? Start off with the small tasks. Do some laundry, organize your makeup drawer. Then you can move onto the harder tasks.

Focus on your self- get personal.

Self care and mental health are one of my greatest priorities. How you feel, shines- or is dim, from the inside out. If you feel great about yourself, you give yourself the gift of feeling indispensable, unstoppable and ultimately, a girl boss. If beauty is one of your main rituals for a feel good day, give yourself a makeover, or maintain your look! If focusing on how you feel about yourself is what fuels you, speak positivity over yourself! You are who you God says you are, and He only sees the good in you- dwell on that.

Reflect.

You did it. You deserve it all, girl. Grab your journal, reflect on your day and you want to continue to maintain the results from the work you put in. I'm proud of you! I hope you feel accomplished.

stay blessed,

rebecca.

My New Business!

Hi! I have some very exciting news for you all! I recently just launched my new business- Ince Factor Content.

Backslide

All you need is one moment, in the presence of the Almighty God, and you will be changed.

back·slide

ˈbakslīd/

verb

1. relapse into bad ways or error.

   
   

   
   

        When we take our eyes off of God for even a minute too long, in our human error, it is so easy to "relapse into bad ways or error". In our human efforts, our flesh takes over and everything that we know about God and all that He is and stands for, can be temporarily gone in the midst of temptation. This is one of the main reasons we sin. Jesus on the other-hand, could never sin. Why? Because His mind was on the Father and His will 100% of the time, 24/7. As humans, we aren't capable of that, and that is why we are in so much need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. As obvious as it is, it is much easier for a sinner to sin than it is for a spirit-filled person. If a non-Christian thinks about God and the wrongness of their committed sins, once a month or every once in a while, and the spirit-filled person thinks of God more than a few times a day, it is easier for the spirit-filled person to be convicted by the Holy Spirit and refrain from committing the sin. 

   
   

   When we come to God in full surrender, He is true to fill us and our lives with Him  and every good thing.

        God loves us, even in our sin- thus the unconditional love He offers us, free for the taking. The issue is, human nature. Since the Garden of Eden, with Adam and Eve, God has offered His unconditional and unfailing love. For some reason, it is often taken for granted kudos to the error of human nature. It is evident in peoples relationship with God, and their relationships with other people. As Christians, because we know the intensity of God's love, mercy and forgiveness, it becomes near simple to take that same love for granted without the fear of God in our lives.
   
   

   This is what leads to backsliding.

   
        In that moment where we have gotten so comfortable in our Christianity that we no longer fear God and respect Him as we should, we fall into our flesh. We turn to our old ways once more, although we are called into the light and furthermore to be that light. I myself have gone through this. Backsliding is no joke. You forget your identity in Christ, you feel lost, you feel like you can't get out of the rut you're in, you're spiritually blinded, you open doors that only Jesus can close, and you even find it too hard to worship.
   
        The Devil knows how easy it can be to backslide and he comes when we are most vulnerable. This is why it is so important to pray, walk with God daily and read the Bible daily.  Psalm 119:9 says that the simplest way to keep your ways pure are to guard your way according to the word of God. I can't stress it enough but, all the 'rules' that God made for us are not to keep us from 'having a good time' or to take from this life, all of its experiences or even to give God a good laugh. God provided guidelines so that we could live out our best lives. 
   
        God wants us to prosper and thrive, but you can only live in true prosperity and peace when we walk in the will of God. There is no true joy and peace outside of His will- I promise you. There were times before I was a Christian and even sometimes now, that I want to do things my way because I trust to much in what I can see and not what I can't see- the unseen is what is on my side. The Devil steals from so many Christians and takes away the lives they could have, because they are blinded and become impatient, leaving them to think that God has given up on them or that He doesn't have the best laid plans for their life.
   
        It is time as believers in Christ to stop letting the Devil steal from us. There is no better time than right in this moment to leave the grave behind us, just as Jesus did and live in the light. It's time to follow Jesus with no turning back. He wants us to thrive. 
   
   
   

   stay blessed,

   rebecca.

Everyday Makeup Routine

     As I was looking through my archive, I realized I haven't done an everyday makeup tutorial! Well, the wait is over. Today I am going to be sharing my everyday makeup routine. If you spot something you'd like to snag, all you have to do is click on the product below via the magical revolver of goods. 

                   

        

Let's begin!

1. Bobbi Brown Face Base: Apply this with clean hands for an absolutely smooth and flawless base.

2. Laura Mercier Candle Glow Foundation: I'm in the shade truffle! I adore this foundation because it gives me the perfect glow and radiant skin I crave in the summer. I apply this with my beauty blender making stippling and bouncing motions.

3.NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer: After foundation, in order to highlight some of my facial points, I use this concealer. This was and still is one of my life savers.

4.Urban Decay Primer Potion: I then prime my eyes with this primer to ensure a gorgeous and glossy lid all day.

5. Dior Show Mascara: I coat my lashes a few times with this mascara for a flattering eye look.

6. Anastasia Brow Wiz: I absolutely love this pencil. I use light strokes on my browns to fill in any space areas.

7.Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray: I finish the look off with this setting spray to maintain the same face all day long.

I hope you all enjoyed my everyday makeup look! Feel free to find me on social media if you have any questions via the icons at the top of the blog!

stay blessed,

rebecca.

Protein Cinnamon Roll Pancake Recipe

     I have a serious sweet tooth. I try my hardest not to give in, but I'm only human. Now I've reached the point where if I have a sweet craving, I go for the healthier alternative to fulfill the void. If you're ever craving a good ol' Cinnabon and want to skip the 880 calories, try out this recipe for an insanely similar taste for less than half of the calories of the monster  Cinnabon. These pancakes will have you feeling full for hours on end with health benefits a-plenty. 

What Anger Does to Your Brain: A Spiritual Synopsis ft. the Scientific Perspective

    Considering God made Science and all that it entails, down to the minute details; it's no wonder that a good few things that science has to say match up with the Bible. 

Boho Summer: Look Bangin' on a Budget

I love summer looks. From maxi dresses to rompers, I am completely here for summer styles. In this post, I'm going to be sharing one of my recent 'boho chic' looks of recent. 

Dew, Glowy + Radiant Skin: The Ultimate How To

     It's summer. It's the season of fresh and dewy skin, and I'm here to give you the inside information on how to get it. Today I'm going to be sharing my secrets to radiant skin and how I achieve it daily in this season of glow. If you want to to see how I do it, keep reading! 

Hair Do's and Dont's

Sometimes hair can be tricky. Textures, frizz, coloring, moisturizing and other things can be such a hassle and we just crave some tips to make carign for our locks easier. If this sounds like what you're looking for, you're in luck! Today's post is all about hair do's and dont's to make your summer mane flawless.

My Girl Boss Routine/Tips

     Every girl boss has their own routine and things that they do to make them feel empowered. Some of our routines are more similar than others, but it's perfectly fine to create your own! Whatever inspires you and empowers you is something to add to the routine.

Saving Souls- No Matter the Cost

    Alright. So here it is- raw, real and totally unapologetic. There is no better day than today to accept Jesus Christ.

April Mood Board

Happy April everyone! I hope that March was super blessed, productive and an overall good time for you- I know I enjoyed my March. Now that it's April, it's a new month with new opportunities. I think that it's super important to have goals and mindset for every season of life you go through; whether it's years, months, weeks or days. This month, I've decided to show you my mood board. I hope you consider making your own!

stay blessed,

rebecca. 

Spring Break Essentials

It's that time ladies! For some of you all, the time has already come but for some of us, spring break is on its way. Regardless, there are some things that are essential to a totally chic spring break. 

How Does Memorization Work?

     Whether it's material for a quiz, test, a grocery list or your friends birthday, your brain is constantly working to memorize things- short term or long term. The question is however, how does memorization work? Well theres many facets in the element of memorization, and that's what we'll be going over in this blog post. Welcome to the brain.

     In essence, the more educated you are about how the memorization portions of you brain work, the easier it will be to get understanding on how to improve it.

     Your memories start from the day you came out of the womb, (that may be pretty far back!). However all jokes aside, anything from the scent of your mothers perfume to the odor of dirty gym socks, you have the capability to remember it. The small things and the big things play a large role in who you are today and how you see the world today, and is a memory in its entirety.

     So how does all of this work? Well, your brain cells work together in one massive network to process the retrieved information. When one cell sends impulses and signals to another, the connection between them continues to increase.

     Step one is encoding. Your memory only works if you do, and better said a memory is only made if you are paying attention. Following that step, you have perception. Your memory is perceived from the senses and the hippocampus receives the info and works with the frontal cortex to decide if the information is even worth remembering ( your junk filter, in essence). That filtered memory is then saved into your sensory memory. Up next, storage. The memory that was filtered earlier is now stored in either long term or short memory. You can then just repeat things. The more you practice something the easier it is to remember.

     Now the fun part. After the whole process, you can now recall the information. Although it's usually unconsciously and it is dependent on how effectively it was remembered. On the negative end of the spectrum, is forgetting. Often times there are cases of retrieval failure that can be caused by distractions and overall failure to retain the information.

     All in all, the brain is an amazing machine and God's handiwork astonishes me time after time.

stay blessed,

rebecca.

Deja Vu?

     The term Deja Vu is French for "Already seen". Hence, the sensation of Deja Vu. You're chatting with a friend about something at brunch, but it feels as if you've already been in the same setting, having the same conversation. So what causes it? Well, we don't know that yet. However there are approximately 40 or so theories that give logical explanation for the sensation.  In this post, we'll be going over some of the examples that'll really get you thinking!

     //Mix up//

This theory proposes that that our sensory system is what causes deja vu. The experiment that went about this theory is called Grant et al. The study shows that it is easier to feel as if you were in that situation before based on how the stimuli in a certain environment can spark a memory- real or not real. This goes on to trigger our subconscious mind to recall a time when we have heard or seen the same thing. The fault in this theory is that it does not give explanation as to why deja vu is experienced when the person doesn't recognize the situation at hand. 

//Hologram Theory- Totally Futuristic// 

The hologram theory proposes that the memories that we have are formed in three dimensional images. Herman Son suggests that the entire formation of the 3D image can become a "memory" of sort. Thus being said, if an element of your environment like, sound or smell reminds you of a previous moment, the whole memory can be created in your mind as a hologram, therefore making you feel like you are reliving it. What's it all mean? Why don't we recognize the memory after the deja vu sensation has passed? Because the stimulus that triggered the creation of the hologram memory is then hidden from our consciousness. 

//Precognitive dreaming//

Precognitive dreaming is when a dream predicts something a situation. A prime example would be the people who have dreamt about the Titanic sinking. This proposes that humans have a subconscious sixth sense. What's it all mean?The explanation behind this is that you have a precognitive recollection that allows you to recognize the situation. Since dreaming doesn't happen 24/7 (unless you're into that), you can't consciously recognize that stimulus and feel that it is familiar. 

//Divided Attention//

Alright, back to the subconscious. The divided attention theory proposes that deja vu is ruled because of a subliminal recognition of the object or topic in the sensation of deja vu. This means that our subconscious mind recalls the stimulus, but our conscious mind does not. This theory was put to the test by using students. The students were shown a few images of different ares and they were asked to identify the location they were familiar with. The kicker is that prior to the experiment, the students were shown pictures of some locations they have never visited, suggesting that the images didn't last for enough time for their conscience to register them. The study shows that students were much more prone to recognize the locations that they hadn't visited (shown to subconscious) than the locations that they hadn't visited (conscious). What's it all mean? Deja vu could be our realization of a message we have received subconsciously. This is assumed to correlate to media. 

//Amygdala//

The amygdala is a minuscule region of our brain. The amygdala is located in each cerebral hemisphere. The amygdala is very involved in our experience with emotions and feelings- the most common one being anger or fear. For example; if you have a crippling fear of clowns, your amygdala will process your response upon the event of seeing one. The amygdala acts temporarily and disorients our brain, causing panic attacks and things of the sort. What's it all mean? This theory suggests that deja vu is ruled by and is a product of a temporary brain malfunction. If you're placed in a situation that is identical to one you have been in before, your amygdala cold produce a panic induced response. Thus being said, you are put in a memory state of confusion, or better said- your deja vu.

The next time you experience deja vu, think about some of these theories! You could be amazed at what the cause of your experience might be. 

stay blessed,

rebecca.

10 things to do to feel like a 10

     There are some days where you just don't feel your best. When I have those days, I do some of the little things that just make me feel really great. Today, I'm going to be sharing my top 10 things to do to have you feeling like a 10. 

//Buy yourself some flowers//

Sometimes, when you feel a little off, buying yourself a bunch of flowers can really lift your spirits. I love going to Whole Foods and buying myself tulips. Pro tip: Make sure to place them in a very visible spot of your room as a constant reminder that you are worth it. 

//Make a boss playlist//

Music is one of my favorite spirit lifters. Something about dancing around your room to uplifting lyrics can add a positive side to any situation. Whenever I'm worried, I completely jam out to "Trust in You" my Lauren Daigle, and somehow in the midst of it all, I am reminded that the Creator of the Universe is chasing me down with His grace and favor and that He has my best interest in mind. 

//Pamper yourself//

One of my favorite things to do is drop a Lush bubble bar in the tub, light a candle and watch something on my laptop. Add a face mask of choice and you have yourself a DIY pamper night. If you don't want to watch anything, it's a really great idea to just put on a slow paced worship playlist and meditate on the lyrics, or even just put your hair back, lay in the tub and talk to God. All in all, bath+face mask= self-treated.

//Try a bold lip color//

Few things in life can make you feel more fierce than a bold lippy. Try a ravishing red or a perfect pink! 

//Get to pinning//

I love making Pinterest boards for legitimately anything. If you want to make a board on your life goals, style or just quotes, go for it! Anything flies girly. 

//Read a book//

I adore a good read and often find myself wishing I had more time to read; (fingers crossed that summer will come a little bit faster). I often feel a lot better when I learn something. Reading a girl boss book puts a real pep in my step and you'll most definitely be on your way to feeling a 10. 

//Watch a TEDtalk//

As aforementioned, I love learning things. TED talks are awesome for it. The speakers are rather informative, the cream of the crop and crème de la crème. I aspire to be a neurologist and neurosurgeon, so personally I like the neuroscience talks. 

Watch whatever you want!

//Work out//

Casse Ho is my go to gal. Whenever I want to destress physically, I load up some Blogilates on my Apple TV 

and sweat it out. Whether you like running, yoga or pilates, a good sweat can overall make you feel really 

great about yourself. 

//Make your fave dessert//

You can lift yourself by making or (ok, buying) your favorite sweet! My guilty pleasure is red velvet, but if I 

want to keep it Dr.Oz approved, I reach for a good acai bowl. 

Treat yoself! 

//Post reminders//

Grab a stack of post it notes, and write reminders that make you feel like a total girl boss.

Reminding yourself of who you are, and what you're 

capable of is such a good feel and you'll have a constant

reminder that you are worth everything wonderful, and then some.

I really hope that you all enjoyed my top 10 things to do to feel like a 10! Try some of these out and watch 

your spirits soar. 

stay blessed,

rebecca. 

Finding Rest in the Lover of Our Soul

   

     Whew. It has been a super hectic week. So many assignments, tests, quizzes and life itself was thrown at me, eager to see how I would react- but I wouldn't have it any other way. Now, I don't mean to say that I enjoy hardship and ask for it, but I do try to rejoice in the trials because God has placed them there for a reason, and "God wastes nothing, even the bad stuff".

      Through the week, God has stood true to me in showing me that He really never will forsake me and that He is always there to supply the precious reassurance I often need. I recently created a little prayer journal without lines- for the art :-). From there, I hopped on Pinterest as I so often do, ( you can follow me here; no shame in a little self-promo). After doing so, I looked at my board titles " s o u l   f o o d" and started drawing and writing my favourites. This was one of the greatest ideas, for several reasons. My favourite of the reasons is that whenever I want the Lord to speak to me and provide the afore-mentioned reassurance, I can open up my journal, and believe me- God speaks.

     An example: I was feeling super stressed out yesterday over a quiz that I only felt partially prepared for, and I had been worried about it for a little while, although I had already prayed about it (oops). So before I headed out to the bus, I asked God to speak to me about the situation. I opened up the journal. The first page stated, "rejoice". I was satisfied enough with that, although finding it a little vague, so I looked at the page next to it, and there it was; "Lord forgive me, for picking up what I already left at Your feet." I already left it at the feet of the King, and all I needed to do was trust. I took the quiz, felt stable and that was the end of that. I tried my best and let God do the rest because His word never returns void, is alive and well, and never fails.

     That brings me to my point. Finding rest in God is essential and so easy to do, because the Lord waits for us with open arms, and all we have to do is settle down, nestle up and receive the peace that passeth all understanding. Resting in Christ and His promises, makes all of life's troubles seem so small in the vastness of the Savior. "God's love is meteoric, His loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, His verdicts oceanic, yet in His largeness, nothing gets lost".

     Whether you're laying in your bed, in the bathroom, sitting in class or whatever it is; it's never a bad time to take one second to ask God to be filled with peace and to receive rest. God freely gives to all.

stay blessed,

rebecca. 

Blessings: The Authority of Jesus

     

     Usually when I'm getting ready, I put on a sermon or a worship playlist. A few days ago I was listening to Francis Chan's sermon on how it is a good thing and a blessing to be under the authority of Jesus Christ. I wholeheartedly agree with Chan. 

     It is so much better to be held under the authority of the One who knows it all, and always has your best interest at heart. Everything will always go perfectly if it's God's plans, and you will never regret going God's way. I know I never have.

stay blessed,

rebecca. 

Why I Stopped Sitting.

I stopped sitting.

      Recently, I have felt a little distanced from God and I knew exactly why, I was just too lazy and callous to do anything about it. I was drowning myself in social media and all the things that I knew distanced me from God; whilst in the back of my head I knew that I should have just shut my door, opened my Bible and sought His face. But I didn't. So, there I was distressed over something completely avoidable, knowing that the Creator of the Universe and lover of my soul was eager and willing to welcome me home as the prodigal son returned to his father.

     Soon after, I stopped sitting. I stopped begging God to come back to me and started chasing Him. I stopped asking God to fill me with all that He is and sought Him myself- and I have no regrets. The only regret that comes with Christianity and the only disappointment is when I, myself slip up. When I myself put God on the back burner. When I, myself know where true, genuine and perfect joy comes from and still fill myself with the world as if it would benefit me at all. All that does is pull you from God. It makes you feel like you're sitting in the bottom of the pit when there's a ladder right there- and you just refuse to climb it.

     I guess what I'm trying to say here is, if you're in the same place that I was, stop sitting. Stop sitting at the bottom of the pit looking at the ladder and at God's face yearning to see you get out, and make use of the ladder. Dive into his Word; it's living and it's true. Worship Him. Don't let the devil steal your praise and keep you where you are. Worship is your warfare. Lastly, pray. If you don't even know where to start and what to talk about, sometimes it's perfectly fine to sit in the presence of the Almighty God and refuel.

     He loves you, seek Him always.

stay blessed,

rebecca.